Page 83 of Crave Me

Reid excuses himself to head to the bar and order drinks for everyone while the three of us check in with each other.

“How’s pregnancy?” I ask Ivy.

“It was rough at first but now that the all-day sickness has subsided I’m loving it.”

“Thank god for that since Sawyer has plans to breed you like a show horse. Which is gross by the way, and he should totally stop announcing it,” Kinsey deadpans, and I can’t help but toss my head back in a deep laugh.

“You’re not wrong though,” Ivy says through laughs.

“How’s everything with you, Blaire? I haven’t really seen you since New Year’s Eve.”

“Oh, everything has been great,” I say, trying not to blush when all the sex I’ve been having with Dallas flashes through my head, “just been so busy with work. I have several bookings for weddings in the spring that I’m planning for, on top of the day-to-day. I really love it though. Just ready to not do tours in the winter. It’s freaking cold, and that’s saying something because I’m a winter girl! I definitely didn’t expect so many crazies to want to visit in the winter months, so I’ve been surprised!”

“People are wacky about what they’re willing to do. I think the distillery has been so elusive for so long that people are eager to see behind the gates, you know?”

“That’s true. Kinsey, you never wanted to work there? All the boys seem so sure that working in some aspect of the business was inevitable for them. How’d you skip out on it?” I ask as Reid sets down a tray of drinks in front of us and takes his seat next to Ivy.

“That was never in the cards for me. It’s so hard being the baby, plus the only girl? Forget it. I needed to break away from them and have some autonomy beyond being a Hayes—and Sawyer, Dallas, Liam, or Carter’s baby sister. It gives me the ick. I’m not a baby and it would be so nice to be seen as a woman who’s independent from her family. Does that make sense?”

“Girl, you are preaching to the choir. I am the poster child of breaking away from parental expectations and building the life that you want. I’m all for you chasing after what makesyouhappy. Just don’t waste years like I did,” Ivy tells her, and I silently agree because nothing has ever been truer.

“On that note, let’s cheers!” Kinsey picks up her pretty emerald drink and I do the same, clinking it together with Ivy’s water, and Reid’s soda.

“To living the life you want!” Kinsey yells.

“Cheers!”

I take a sip, the alcohol going down smooth, and quickly find my new favorite drink.

“No alcohol for you, Drogo?”

“Don’t drink.”

“What? How did I not know this?” Ivy asks him.

“’Cause you’ve been knocked up since a month after I met you.”

“Okay, that’s fair.”

The four of us spend the next hour talking and laughing like old friends and it fills me with so much happiness. I settle into the comfort of being out with people who genuinely want to be with me, and let myself relax. I have another Midori sour, feelingthe alcohol thrum through my bloodstream, and know it’s time for some water. Kinsey accompanies me to the bar where she orders four b-52 shots.

“Don’t look now, Blaire, but a certain Cole Barnes is here, and he hasn’t taken his eyes off you.”

Fuck. Cole texted me a few weeks ago asking if he could take me out again but I’ve been so busy I completely forgot to respond. Feeling somewhat horrible, my mood dampens slightly.

“He is eye fucking the shit out of you. You sure you don’t want to hook up with him again? He’s hot. So is his friend.”

“We never hooked up and I’m for sure good on that front,” I tell her.

Kinsey slams back one of her shots just as Cole and his friend join us at the bar. His hand settles on my lower back in a move of confidence, like he’s familiar with me in a way that he actually isn’t. I turn out of his touch, it feeling all wrong on me. Thankfully, Dallas isn’t here because I don’t think he would stand idly by and allow it to happen, present company be damned.

“Hey, pretty lady, haven’t seen you in a bit, how ya been?”

“Hi, Cole. I’m really well. So busy with the pressure of work but things are great.”

“Who’s your friend, Coley?”

“Haven’t been called that in decades, Kinsey, let’s keep it that way, yeah? This is my college buddy, Theo.”

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